From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jose Cojuangco
Jose Cojuangco
Jose C. Cojuangco plains why Barangay Cojuangco exists in nearby Santa
Rosa, Nueva Ecija and which partly explains how the Co-
Born Jose Chichioco Cojuangco juangcos eventually owned Hacienda Bakal in Talavera,
July 3, 1896(1896-07-03)
Malolos, Bulacan Nueva Ecija).
Melecio’s wife was a Chinese mestiza, Doña Tecla Chi-
Died August 21, 1976(1976-08-21) (aged 80) chioco of Malolos and Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Manila, Philippines
Melecio’s siblings include elder sister Ysidra, who
Nationality Filipino massively enlarged the already considerable Cojuangco
fortune by buying land and dabbling in sugar mills and
Known for Father of Former President Corazon
Aquino,Grandfather of actresses Kris Aquino real estate; and younger sister Trinidad, who died a spin-
and Mikee Cojuangco and Current President ster.
Benigno Aquino III
Siblings
Jose Chichioco Cojuangco (July 3, 1896 - August 21, 1976) Cojuangco was the oldest of 4 siblings:
was a former Representative of the 1st district of Tarlac • Juan "Itoy" Chichioco Cojuangco (2nd sibling / 2nd
in the Philippines. He served from 1934 to 1946. Cojuang- older brother / 1st marriage to Elena Garcia / 2nd
co is one of the patriarchs of the Cojuangco clan. He marriage to Lualhati Aldaba). Doña Elena García
was the father of former Philippines President Corazon Cojuangco was a daughter of Spanish mestizo
Aquino and the grandfather of current Philippines Presi- Gregorio García, who owned a rival sugar mill in
dent Noynoy Aquino. His other grandchildren include ac- Paniqui, Tarlac. His second wife, Lualhati "Hatì"
tresses Kris Aquino and Mikee Cojuangco. Aldaba was a sister of Opera Guild of the Philippines
founder Dalisay Aldaba and also the sister of the
Family Philippine Government’s first Social Secretary,
Estefania Aldaba Lim. Juan Cojuangco died without
Parents legitimate heirs, although he sired a daughter
through his sister-in-law, Imelda García.
• Antonio Cojuangco, Sr., who married Victoria
Uychuico, a Chinese mestiza from Tarlac. Antonio
was a doctor in pre-war Manila. He was massacred at
De La Salle University by the Japanese in the final
days of the Second World War, together with his
wife, adopted son Ricardo (Carding), daughter
Trinidad, household staff, and neighbors. His
daughter Trinidad was married to Servillano Aquino
Jr or Billy, (half brother of Benigno Aquino, Jr.).
Antonio’s son, Ramón (Monching), was the owner of
the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company.
• Eduardo "Endeng" Chichioco Cojuangco, Sr. was
A Malolos native waiting for a jeep to ride in front of the Jose Jose’s youngest brother. He was married to Josephine
Cojuangco Mansion, at Paseo Del Congreso near Barasoain "Nene" Murphy), a Miss Baguio beauty queen and
Church, the old and original house of José Chichioco Cojuangco
only daughter of Alhambra Theater owner John J
Murphy. Murphy later made Baguio his home; he
His father was Melecio Cojuangco y Estrella, whose father
was a former United States soldier and paymaster to
was "El Chino" José, a Chinese immigrant. A skilled car-
colonel Lyman Kennon (for whom Kennon Road was
penter, Melecio helped build churches in Binondo, Bula-
named). Murphy and his battalion initially pursued
can and in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. Melecio’s mother was An-
Emilio Aguinaldo, then president of the 1st
tera Estrella of Gapan, Nueva Ecija, a daughter of Felipe
Philippine republic, up to the Sierra Madre.
Estrella, a Spaniard and Martina Calub Cruz, a local
Among the four male heirs of the Cojuangcos, Don Pepe,
woman. (With the Estrella connection, the Cojuangcos
as he is remembered, was the only one born in Malolos,
gained their initial foothold in Nueva Ecija, which ex-
Bulacan, where his father built the secret stairway in
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jose Cojuangco
Barasoain Church used by the Spanish friars to smuggle business associates of the Cojuangcos who have
women into their private quarters. The old Cojuangco- mutual investments in Mantrade, First Manila
Chichioco mansion still stands a few meters from the Management, Pantranco, First United Bank, Central
Barasoain Church on land inherited by Tecla from her Azucarera de Tarlac, and Nissan Philippines. The
Chichioco merchant father. It is maintained for the Co- Lopas made their fortune in the automotive and
juangcos by their Chichioco relatives. The physical ad- transportation industries, and were co-founders of
dress used to be known as #540 Paseo del Congreso but Equitable Bank (now Equitable PCI Bank). Baby Lopa
the locals called it Calle de las Mestizas (street of the and his siblings are known for their extensive
Mixed Filipinas) on account of the numerous women who collection of Manansala, Amorsolo and other Filipino
lived there, daughters of the friars nearby. After World masterpiece paintings amassed during the 1960s
War II, the name was changed to Santo Niño Street, Mes- when his father, Don Manuel, and father-in-law, Don
tizohin District. Pepe, were at the height of their wealth.
• Carmen, (died at 18 months). Metring’s next child
Wife and children was born 4 months later.
Cojuangco was married to Demetria "Metring" Sumu- • Corazon or "Cory", married to Senator Benigno S.
long, daughter of Senator Juan Marquez Sumulong of Aquino, Jr. Benigno, or "Ninoy", was born to an
Rizal province and sister to Lorenzo Sumulong, also a influential political family from Tarlac. His
Philippine senator. Their law offices were located within grandfather, Servillano Aquino, was a general in the
Manila’s Plaza Cervantes where Metring used to serve as revolutionary army against Spain while his father,
legal assistant. Demetria was also related to Senator Ce- Benigno Aquino, Sr. y Quiambao was a former
ferino de Leon of San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan (Se- Speaker. Honest politicians, General Servillano and
nator De Leon’s daughter was Philippine Carnival Queen his son were known to refuse any government salary
Trinidad Roura de Leon, wife of President Manuel Roxas or stipend. To finance their political activities, the
y Acuña, whose grandson Mar Roxas would be Demetria’s Aquinos hocked their three largest haciendas away:
grandson Noynoy Aquino’s vice president running mate.) Hacienda Lawang, Hacienda Murcia and Hacienda
Family lore has it that Don Pepe’s Chinese grandfather in- Tinang. Ninoy was previously the youngest governor
sisted his eldest grandson to marry Metring since she had of Tarlac and a Philippine senator, the staunchest
a mole under her nose, which would bring Pepe wealth critic of President Ferdinand Marcos and a protege of
beyond compare during his lifetime. The most obedient President Ramon Magsaysay. Ninoy was assassinated
of the four boys, Don Pepe did not object to the marriage. at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport
The couple had eight children: (now Ninoy Aquino International Airport) in 1983.
• Ceferino (stillborn) • Jose Jr. or "Peping", married to Margarita "Tingting"
• Pedro or "Pete", married to Rosario "Sari" Cacho. Hernandez de los Reyes. Peping is currently
Sari Cojuangco is aunt to Louise "Lisa" Cacho president of the Philippine Olympic Committeeand
Araneta, wife of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (Bongbong previously a representative of the first legislative
Marcos), only son of President Ferdinand Marcos. district of Tarlac. Margarita was a former governor
Their younger son, Fernando "Nando" Cojuangco, is of Tarlac (1992-1998) and a former model. Through
the administrator of Hacienda Luisita while his her de los Reyes family, she is related to Gilbert
parents move between California and Manila. Mr. Teodoro (Teodoro’s great grandfather was a De los
Marcos Jr. is currently a Senator of the Philippines Reyes love child), Philippine Carnival Queen and
while his wife Louise is a founding partner of the all billionaire attorney Pacita de los Reyes y Ongsiako
Ateneo de Manila-alumni Marcos Ochoa Serapio and (later married to an American serviceman), and
Tan Law Offices. Imelda de la Paz Ongsiako who married Ramon
• Josephine, married to Nicanor Reyes, Jr. Mrs. Reyes Cojuangco of PLDT ). One of Jose Jr’s daughters
and family owns Far Eastern University and the FEU- married into the Benetton family of Italy that owns
Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation. She was named the iconic United Colors of Benetton brand, as well
after her uncle’s wife and Danding Cojuangco’s as vineyards and lands estancias in Argentina.
mother, Josephine Murphy Cojuangco. They • Maria Paz or "Passy", married to Ernesto "Esting"
developed Ferndale Homes in Quezon City as well. Teopaco. The Teopacos were the neighbors of the
She was president of FEU from 1985-1989 and held Jose Cojuangcos on Roberts Street in Pasay City,
graduate degrees in education. parallel to Roxas Boulevard. Other prominent
• Teresita or "Terry", married to Ricardo "Baby" Lopa. families residing on said road were the Elizaldes,
The Lopa clan, through their patriarch Manuel Lopa, Sorianos, Quezons, Lopas, Cu-Unjiengs and the
Sr. and matriarch Purificacion Lopa (immortalized in Oppens (the parents of Soledad Oppen Cojuangco or
a beautiful Fernando Amorsolo painting), were close Gretchen, the wife of Danding Cojuangco). The
Teopaco-Cojuangcos were once known for their
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jose Cojuangco
winning collection of fighting roosters in the 60s and unable to obtain the necessary funds to facilitate the
70s. young Endeng Cojuangco’s medical expenses. Danding’s
Cojuangco was the founder of Mantrade Philippines, the father later died of kidney failure. Also in 1953, President
Bank of Commerce, First United Bank, and the Pantranco Ramon Magsaysay offered to sell Hacienda Luisita to Don
bus company. Pepe, as the Hukbalahap rebels caused much fear and the
Spanish owners, the Tabacalera, wanted to sell. (Presi-
World War II dent Magsaysay was avoiding the wealthier hacenderos
from Negros island and Iloilo, specifically the brothers
In the 1940s, with less than a day’s notice, he left the Fernando Lopez and Eugenio Lopez, from owning too
Cojuangco mansion (built in 1933 the year Cory Aquino much as they already purchased the PASUMIL consor-
was born) along Agno Street (near De La Salle Universi- tium in Del Carmen, Pampanga.) Negotiations started but
ty), Malate, Manila for the safety of Antipolo, Rizal (polit- President Magsaysay died when his airplane crashed on
ical bailiwick of his wife’s relatives). Meanwhile, his aunt Mount Manunggal in Cebu. The deal was closed five years
Ysidra and brother Eduardo fled to Baguio city where later in President Carlos Garcia y Polistico’s term who
they thought the Japanese would not go and where there was a close ally of then Senator Ferdinand Marcos y
were large Cojuangco apartments. (Eduardo Sr’s mother- Edralin.
in-law Gregoria Beley Murphy was in Baguio as well.) His In early 1958 Cojuangco purchased the Hacienda
relative Antonio stayed behind due to his son’s fever. Luisita, the second biggest contiguous piece of property
While Ysidra Cojuangco y Estrella and her nephews in Luzon island. This time, he was able to secure Amer-
and their families sought shelter at the Baguio cathedral ican dollars required by the Tabacalera. Unlike before,
during the bombardments, the Antonio Cojuangcos were he called on his friend, Philippine Central Bank governor
trapped in the De La Salle University chapel where they Miguel Cuaderno to help him. It must be noted that the
were massacred by the desperate Japanese. Only two sur- hacienda is separate from the lands his aunt Doña Ysidra
vived, including Ramon or "Monching" (whose second Cojuangco y Estrella assembled in the past decades. He
wife would later be Imelda Ongsiako Cojuangco. His and his son-in-law, Ninoy (Benigno Aquino Jr), intro-
young first wife Natividad "Nene" de las Alas, sister of duced strong social programs favoring the farmers of the
Pacita "Ching" (the wife of Sergio Montinola), Lourdes hacienda.
"Lily" (wife of Senator Ambrosio Padilla and arch-enemy While Don Pepe was genuinely loved by the farmers
of another beautiful senator’s wife, Imelda Marcos) and under his management (free healthcare, free schooling,
Carmencita "Menchu" (wife of Raul Concepcion of RFM adult education, veterinary medicines for the farm ani-
Corporation ) was also hacked to death) and Lourdes or mals), designated areas for employee housing), the stark
"Lulu" who was saved when the bayonet hit the baby treatment concerning the dollars relating to Endeng’s
(Monching’s firstborn) she was carrying instead. She survival and his subsequent death versus the grand busi-
would be the wife of Luis Tirso Rivilla of the Ormoc Sugar ness move Cojuangco made in purchasing Hacienda
Central later on... Luisita added insult to injury to Doña Nene and her now
As the eldest male Cojuangco, Pepe felt partly to fatherless six children (Eduardo, Mercedes, Aurora, Is-
blame for the near decimation of the Antonio Cojuangco abel, Enrique and Manuel). Besides the opposing views
branch. From that day on, Cojuangco and his relatives in politics and the abandonment of the Antonio Cojuang-
never lived in Malate ever again. He sent Monching, Lulu cos in Manila during the war, the situation concerning
and his own children to the United States for their stud- his younger brother’s death would eventually cause for
ies. (Ravenhill Academy, College of Mount Saint Vincent, a collision course between Cojuangco’s and Endeng
et al.). He cared for Antonio’s children as if they were his Lalake’s heirs.
own.
1960s
1950s In the 1960s, Cojuangco’s bus company and banking arm
As his businesses outside of Tarlac flourished, he invited expanded to open satellite offices all over the country.
the rest of his family to join him. His brother, Itoy, and The Bank of Commerce was the preferred intermediary/
Antonio’s son, Monching, benefited from this arrange- local bank of American companies in Manila. He then di-
ment. Danding Cojuangco, his nephew by ex-Governor vested from Bank of Commerce less than a month before
Eduardo "Endeng" Cojuangco Sr, declined. the stockholder’s meeting to avoid the embarrassing sit-
In 1953, Cojuangco’s youngest brother, Endeng uation of being unseated by his brother Itoy, his nephew
(Danding Cojuangco’s father) was sick and needed treat- Danding and his other nephew Monching, who wanted
ment in the United States. At that time, dollars was strict- greater influence in the bank. Afterwards, he opened
ly regulated. Don Pepe’s wife and holder of the entire First United Bank. With perseverance First United be-
clan’s purse, Doña Metring (Cory Aquino’s mother) was came a major bank under his helm.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jose Cojuangco
Due to the geographical proximity of his Hacienda Eduardo Sr. or Endeng Lalake, the charismatic governor
Luisita and the Paniqui Sugar Mills which he managed on of Tarlac province. When he quit politics, his personal
behalf of the entire family, there were times when more wealth was preserved unlike his good friend and future
than 90% of all raw sugar milled in central Luzon were in-law Benigno Aquino, Sr’s, whose lands and cash hold-
processed through Cojuangco-owned companies. The Co- ings decreased dramatically by using it for social welfare
juangco family owned so much land in Central Luzon that programs in their home province.
they could dictate the price of rice and non-Visayan sug-
ar.
Death
He died on August 21, 1976.
1970s He died during the darkest days of the Jose Cojuang-
When the 1970s set in, Don Pepe had already resigned cos. All of his businesses were under extreme scrutiny by
from his Bank of Commerce position and sold all his the Marcoses.
shares to avoid a boardroom coup by the other branches Many banks refused to extend credit for fear of gov-
of the Cojuangco family. This was particularly sentimen- ernment retaliation. Only Chinabank of Binondo, whose
tal for Don Pepe, as he was the one who founded Bank of owners Don Pepe assisted when they themselves were
Commerce and nurtured it from bankruptcy. It was also just starting out, defied the government and helped him.
the one company where he insisted that all four families (His granddaughter Victoria Eliza Cojuangco Aquino or
of the Cojuangco co-own, not knowing that the same gen- Viel, would later marry into this banking family now
erosity will swallow him in his twilight years. headed by former Ambassador to the Vatican Howard
Meanwhile, his bus company was coerced to file for Dee).
bankruptcy after the Marcos-led administration refused His sons Pete and Peping lost the bid to own the
to allow rate hikes even when market forces deemed an Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company after it
increase in bus fares. The same happened to Mantrade. was awarded to Monching Cojuangco, Antonio Meer, and
Unable to expand his businesses due to political pres- his Ongsiako brother-in-law. (Imelda de la Paz Ongsiako
sures, in 1975, he sold his First United Bank. The buyer Cojuangco, Monching’s wife, was a Blue Lady of Imelda
was the Marcos-led Philippine Government who incor- Marcos, and wedding sponsor to presidential daughter
porated it in what is now known as the United Coconut Irene Marcos Araneta).
Planters Bank. His First United Bank was renamed and was spun off
by President Marcos as a front to illegally collect co-
Political life conut levy funds, hence the reason why United Coconut
Planters Bank is sometimes referred to as Cocobank.
Cojuangco was representative of the First District of Tar- The transportation companies he owned with the
lac to the 10th Philippine Legislature in 1934-35, the First Lopa family were also lost to Marcos cronies. Benjamin
Philippine National Assembly in 1935-1938, the Second "Kokoy" Romualdez, brother of Philippine First Lady
National Assembly in 1938-1941 and the Third National Imelda Marcos, took over the First Manila Management
Assembly in 1941-1946. Corp., the mother company of Mantrade (which handled
He represented Tarlac in the same way that his father the distribution of Ford Motors and other motor vehi-
Don Melecio Cojuangco did as the first ever represen- cles) and the Pantranco bus company (painted with vi-
tative of Tarlac in the First Philippine Legislature of brant hearts of every color, the fleet earned the moniker
1907-1909. (Don Melecio’s political career was cut short "Lovebus"), shorty after the death of Cojuangco’s busi-
when he suffered a fatal heart attack in the Urdaneta- ness partner, Manuel Lopa, Sr., in 1974. (With his death,
Manila train while defending his sons Jose (Pepe) and the conglomerate lost their immunity from the Mar-
Juan (Itoy) from American soldiers wanting to sidestep coses, since Lopa shared a close friendship with Imelda’s
the youngsters from their seats. Mauricio Ilagan served late uncle, Daniel Romualdez y Zialcita, Speaker Pro Tem-
the remaining 4 years (till 1912) of his term). pore of the Philippine Congress, who died suddenly via a
While in Congress, Don Pepe was one of two repre- heart attack, a few months before his niece Imelda Mar-
senting the province of Tarlac. The other one was Benig- cos rose as Philippine First Lady, in 1965.) Lopa’s son (and
no Aquino, Sr y Quiambao, whose son from his second Cojuangco’s son-in-law), Ricardo "Baby" Lopa, was then
marriage, Ninoy Aquino became the husband to Don ousted from the company.
Pepe’s daughter, Cory Aquino. In essence, the current Cojuangco no longer controlled the Bank of Commer-
Philippine President Noynoy Aquino’s paternal and ma- ce, which was closest to his heart, as it was the first
ternal grandfathers sat side by side for Tarlac from non-agricultural company he founded. Also, it was the
1935–1938 and again from 1941-1946. last company that, out of family solidarity, he formed
Don Pepe Cojuangco retired from politics after World insisting that all four branches of the Cojuangco should
War II and thus avoided a clash with his younger brother,
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jose Cojuangco
co-own. His departure from Bank of Commerce left Don Aquino, Maria Elena Cruz, Aurora Corazon Abellada, Vic-
Pepe’s psyche bruised and his spirit betrayed. toria Eliza Dee, plus Antonio Ongsiako Cojuangco, other
His lawyer, Juan Ponce Enrile, a son of his old friend relatives, Mar Roxas and his family headed by mother
and attorney, the Spanish mestizo Alfonso Ponce Enrile Judy Araneta Roxas, and most importantly, numerous
(father of Armida Siguion Reyna and Irma Potenciano), volunteers, Noynoy Aquino campaigned and successfully
has since not been able to help him speak to President won the Philippine presidency that his mother Cory
Marcos even when the latter was the designated Defense Aquino once occupied. (One of his opponents was Gilbert
Minister. Teodoro, Danding Cojuangco’s nephew through sister
Neither can his nephew, Danding Cojuangco, a Mar- Mercedes).
cos associate, could do anything to help Cojuangco. He Hacienda Luisita’s ownership is currently being ques-
himself comforted his old uncle, saying "Tio Pepe, huwag tioned in the media due to proviso verbiage in the sale in-
na po kayong umiyak" (Uncle Pepe, please do not cry). dicating a land redistribution.
One of his lasting words to his family was "Kawawa Meanwhile, the Antonio Cojuangco branch lost the
naman si Cory" (Oh how pitiful Cory is!), as he died bro- Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company through a
ken hearted to see this daughter of his harassed and ha- sale brokered by President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
rangued by the Marcos government for being the woman The two junior branches of the family, the Eduardo
Ninoy Aquino chose as his wife. Cojuangcos and the Antonio Cojuangcos, still control the
In 1979, his last surviving brother, Juan Cojuangco, United Coconut Planters Bank(formerly First United
died. Some of his wealth devolved back to his six Bank) and the Bank of Commerce, respectively. However,
nephews and eight nieces. The rest was left to his second recently, San Miguel Corporation (chaired by Danding
wife, Doña Hati, who formed the Cojuangco Aldaba Foun- Cojuangco of the Eduardo Cojuangco branch) acquired
dation. the controlling interest in Bank of Commerce from the
Ten years after Don Pepe’s death, in 1986, Cory Antonio Cojuangco branch.
Aquino would be swept into the presidency of the Philip-
pines, while President Ferdinand Marcos, Benjamin Ro-
mualdez, Danding Cojuangco, and their extended fami-
References
lies, fled to Hawaii and mainland United States. • Aquino-Cojuangco Clan
Persondata
Present Name Cojuangco, Jose
At present, Don Pepe Cojuangco’s male line is preserved Alternative names
through his elder son, Pedro Cojuangco who has five Short description
sons. His younger son and namesake Jose Jr. (Peping), has Date of birth July 3, 1896
5 daughters.
Place of birth Malolos, Bulacan
His grandson through his daughter Corazon, is Sena-
tor Benigno Aquino III who sat in the Upper House to- Date of death August 21, 1976
gether with Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, the former Co- Place of death Manila, Philippines
juangco family lawyer. With the help of sisters Kris
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jose_Cojuangco&oldid=475574479"
Categories:
• 1896 births
• Filipino people of Chinese descent
• 1976 deaths
• Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
• Parents of national leaders
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